Most Viewed Things to Do in Mammoth Lakes

Views surrounding Mammoth

Mammoth is graced by fantastic views: on one side is the impressive Sierra Nevada mountain chain, and the other is Owns valley beyond which are the White Mountains and deserts of Nevada. Attached are a few photos.

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Minaret Peaks

These thin long peaks were appropriately named Minaret Peaks because they vaguely resemble the minarets of mosques. (Extremist members of the Tea Party would probably call for a name change if these peaks were brought to their attention!). They rise to an impressive altitude of 3,738 metres and offer an incredible backdrop to the views from Mammoth Mountain. The two attached photos were taken two weeks apart in January 2012, the earlier one was during the snow drought while the second was after a substantial snowfall - notice the big difference!

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Experts only!

There is some very challenging skiing at Mammoth, particularly from the highest peak, accessible by the Gondola. The second attached photo shows Climax run, one of the most challenging at Mammoth, which may not look so scary in the photo (but it is in reality!).

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Ski, of course...

One of the largest ski resorts in the US, Mammoth offers excellent skiing. The resort has 3,500 acres (14 km2), 150 trails, 29 lifts, and a vertical drop of 945 metres. Why else would one visit in winter?!

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The Village

The liveliest part of town, the Village at Mammoth is a complex that has everything. Shops, restaurants, bars, hotel, ski rentals and a gondola to take you to the base of the slopes, so what else would one need! If you stay at the Village Lodge, or any other hotel in the immediate vicinity (such as the Westin Monache or Alpenhof Lodge) then you are all set and won't even need a car.

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Mammoth Mountain

Soaring to an altitude of 3,370 metres (11,053 ft), Mammoth Mountain is the highest peak in the skiable area of Mammoth. It is the mountain that gave the resort and the surrounding area (Mammoth Lakes) their name. The mountain is reachable by the Panorama Gondola, so non-skiers can visit it too and can have a meal or a cocktail at the Top of the Sierra restaurant and enjoy the naturally breathtaking and panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Beware though, if you are a skier, the runs are mostly black double diamond, or diamond runs (equivalent to red in Europe), so brush up on your skiing skills before attempting to ski down from here!

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Ski and Ride

Mammoth is one of the top ski resorts in the country. The top of the mountain is at 11,053 feet elevation. If you are lucky to be there on a day that the entire mountain is open, there are a lot of different level runs - green, green/blue, blue, blue/black, black diamonds and double black diamonds. The runs are wide and long. There are also plenty of parks open.

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Apres Ski

A good choice is to hit up the bar at the Mill. It's a great spot especially in the spring with beach chairs and views of the Cornice. If you're done riding or taking a break for lunch grab a drink from the bar or some food from the restaurant and take your meal outside and enjoy the sunshine. There are lots of tables that fill up fast at lunchtime. If you get cold there is a fire pit behind a wind screen where you can warm up on colder days.

Little Lakes Valley

I debated for a while whether to put information on this area on this page or my Bishop page; this is just a brief description of the area, more can (or will soon) be found on my upcoming Bishop page.

The Little Lakes Valley is a pretty, easy hiking destination at the southern end of Rock Creek Canyon, off of the Rock Creek Canyon Rd. from Tom's Place, a little nowhere halfway between Mammoth and Bishop.

The main hike here is to Gem Lakes. From the Mosquito Flat Trailhead at the end of the road, a trail leads past Mack, Marsh, Heart, Box, Long, and Chickenfoot Lakes to Gem Lake, nestled beneath the sharp peaks of the John Muir Wilderness. There are amazing subalpine and alpine views along the way, including the dominating Bear Creek Spire. The hike is a short 7 miles round trip, including a side trip to Morgan Pass. It is one of the easiest and most scenic hikes in the Eastern Sierra.

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Olaine Lake

Past the Shadow Lake Junction, the River Trail (heading southeast) soon reaches Olaine Lake. This is essentially a small, shallow, tree-lined, mosquito-infested pond. It is not quite as scenic as any of the other lakes in the area; the mountain backdrop of the lake consists of a granite mound that seperates it from the Middle Fork San Joaquin River, and a granite ridge of the Ritter Range.

From the lake, the trail begins to climb, going up slowly but steadily, passing a few trail junctions are eventually leading back to the trailhead parking lot at Agnew Meadows.

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Badger Lakes

Badger Lakes are a group of small lakes almost 7 miles from the Agnews Meadow Trailhead. They're pretty and mosquito-infested, but lack a mountain backdrop. They're an interesting stop on the way to Thousand Island Lake, but it's not worth the hike out just to see these lakes. It's a short hike to here from the High Trail/Agnew Pass Trail Junction.

One welcome fact about reaching Badger Lakes is you know you're almost at Thousand Island Lake.

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Lake Crowley

Lake Crowley is a massive reservoir on the Owens River about 15 miles east of Mammoth. Backed by the volcanic Glass Mountains in a desert landscape, the lake has its own type of beauty. Lake Crowley was created by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to supply water for what was to become California's largest city. The lake lies at the eastern boundary of the large Long Valley Caldera, a dormant but potentially dangerous volcano.

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TJ Lake

If you take the hike to Barrett Lake, there's no reason not to continue on to TJ Lake. TJ Lake is much more beautiful, and an easy, 3-minute hike from Barrett Lake. From Barrett Lake, the trail climbs uphill to a small ridegetop and descends to the outlet of TJ Lake. Set right at the foot of the Mammoth Crest, TJ Lake is one of the prettiest lakes around. To the west towers castle-shaped Crystal Crag. Mosquitoes are somewhat better here than at Barrett Lake; you can walk a bit along the lakeshore for stunning Sierra scenery. TJ Lake is at over 9000 feet above sea level. This easy day hike is a good option for almost anyone; it is short and packs in plenty of good scenery.

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Barrett Lake

A short hike from Lake George is the pretty Barrett Lake. The lake is a short but steep 1/4-mile from Lake George; from the lakeside trail at Lake George, climb above the lakeshore into the forest, contuining uphill until the trail emerges by the lakeshore of this tiny lake. By crossing its outlet, you can reach a nice view of the lake backed by the Mammoth Crest; along the trail itself, you can see reddish mountains rising in the distance. Mosquitoes abound by the lakeshore; it's not the wisest idea to come without repellent.

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Lake George

Lake George is a beautiful lake at the end of the Lake George Rd, situated right under Crystal Crag, with the Mammoth Crest a bit farther behind the lake. This lake is very popular with fishermen, and the lakeshore is usually completely filled with anglers. A good trail from Lake George is a short hike towards Lake Barrett and TJ Lake. The trail begins along the lakeshore, offering good views towards Crystal Crag and the Mammoth Crest early on. After a while, the trail begins to climb and offers some views of the lake from above.

Mammoth is a prime destination for skiers during the winter as it offers some of the highest altitude skiing. This means that it is not uncommon to be able to ski in shorts as late as early July when...

Mammoth Lakes offers some of the easiest access to some of the best scenery in the Sierra Nevada, if not the world. High elevation trailheads are the starting points for paths to deep blue lakes and...